I sat on my favourite bench in a park drowning in the warm sunlight, surrounded by wise trees waving in time with the breeze. I watched as people of all ages, races and heights walked past. I got a call from Sarah early this morning insisting that I didn't go into work for the rest of the week as she had come down with something and she had yet to work out if it was contagious. It was Thursday today so I only had two days left before the weekend, but I'll take what I can get. To be fair, her voice did sound more hoarse than normal and I didn't mind having a day off especially when the weather was as good as it was today. So, the first thing I did after coming off the phone to Sarah was jump in my car and drive here.

Ever since I was a little girl, I have always loved nature and being outside. I had always been a tomboy rather than a girly girl. I wasn't the type of kid to have dolls and make them talk to each other instead I would be outside; whether that be playing soccer, climbing a tree, running, or just sitting under a tree, I was always outside even when it would be raining: walking in the rain is my favourite.

I sat there peacefully thinking about any and everything just enjoying my day off. I heard a contagious laugh from my left and saw a little girl.

I watched as the little girl, probably around the age of 4, ran up to her Dad with a soccer ball in her hand. Giggling, she gave him the ball and he booted it in the air. She ran after it, her light blonde hair waving in the wind behind her, her stopping exactly where the ball was slowly descending. She caught the ball.

I watched as she turned around and looked at her Dad. Her face brightened into a huge grin at her Dads reaction: he ran towards her, picked her up, and spun her round in a victory way. I sighed deeply as I watched them laugh in unison being reminded of me and my Dad when I was her age. Why did this keep coming up now? After so many years.

Not wanting my mood to be dampened any further, I got up off the bench and went for a walk.

I stopped at a flower garden.

I lightly held a head of a rose in between my fingers, being careful not to break it off. I brought the red rose to my nose and deeply inhaled, taking in the sweet scent. I found one discarded on the floor broken from its stem. Picking it up, I put it behind my ear and continued walking.

I found myself near a pond. It was not the type of pond that had litter all along the edge, this one was surprisingly and satisfyingly clean.

I crouched down next to the edge, no barrier stopping you from falling in. I carefully placed myself as close to the edge as I could get without falling in. I looked down watching my legs dangling over the muddy slope, lightly kicking them.

I was deep in thought, watching the trees dance when I felt someone's hand rest on my shoulder.

"Be careful, Ivy. You don't want to fall in," I heard a deep voice from behind me quietly say, making me jump due to the lack of conversation today.

"Holy fuck!" I blurted out. I twisted my body round and stood up to be faced with the one and only Jace.

I must have taken a step back when Jace made me jump because his hands instantly found themselves placed around my waist, pulling me towards him.

"The whole point of me saying that wasn't so that you go and step even closer to the water," he told me; his hands still wrapped around my sides.

I stood there and looked up into his blue eyes, only now realising the little specks of green carelessly scattered around his iris. We stood there just looking at each other before a buzzing sound came dangerously close to my ear.

I ran towards the path, waving my hands around my ears trying to get away from the bug that had come close to me.

I hate bugs. Bees, wasps, flys, anything that makes that annoying buzzing sound.

Finally stood still, I looked over to Jace only to see him watching me with an amused expression on his face, a small smile playing on his lips. I rolled my eyes and walked back to him.

"What was that about?" He asked obviously amused by my actions.

"I can't stand it when bugs fly near me."

"For real?" Jace doubtingly asked while we begin walking. He didn't believe me.

"Yes, for real! The sound makes me so angry you don't even know," I told him whilst we walked along the gravel path laid in the centre of the park.

I noticed how he had stopped walking. I stopped and turned around to face him. I searched his face for an answer before looking at him in a way, asking why he had suddenly stopped. His eyes scanned over my face. He ran a hand through his soft looking light brown hair, his eyes finally settling on something on the left side of me.

He walked over to me, raising his hand to my face. He took the flower out from behind my left ear all the while staring into my brown eyes. I felt his fingertips lightly brush against my cheek, sending shivers down my spine. I breathed out a shuddery breath as I watched his hand move from my face to in front of him, holding the rose.

"You had this behind your left ear, that means you're taken. Are you?" He questioned me, twisting the rose by its little stem.

"How do you know that?" I asked back, looking up at him.

He smiled. He moved a piece of my hair that had blown into my face by the wind and tucked it behind my ear.

He shrugged, "I know a lot of things."

I raised my eyebrows at him. Really?

"Cocky much?"

"Well," he took a step closer, "some people say that eye contact is the most intimate thing two people can do," he lowly told me, quiet enough so only I could hear.

I rolled my eyes, breaking the eye contact and repositioned my body to continue walking. "What is that supposed to mean?" I asked him when I felt his presence to the right of me.

"Whatever you want it to, Princess." I rolled my eyes at the name.

We were both silent for a while, just taking in the surroundings. This park was incredibly beautiful, I'm so glad I found it.

I looked at Jace from the corner of my eye and noticed a faint set of freckles sprinkled over his nose. I can see why people would find him attractive. He's got that sharp jawline, cute nose, soft looking golden light brown hair, freckles, but his eyes. His blue eyes are what catch my attention. You can tell just by looking at them that he has been through stuff, but he tries to cover it up. I want to find out what that is.

I slightly turned my body towards him, "To answer your question, no I'm not in any kind of relationship. Not after breaking it off with that asshole, anyway." I turned back to how I was positioned before and carefully watched him through the corner of my eye. I saw him quickly smile to himself. If I had of blinked, I would have missed it.

I diverted my vision to look around me, realising I didn't recognise anything.

I am usually really good with directions; I only have to go somewhere once and I'll remember half of the way there the next time I go there. I must have been distracted as I had no clue where we were. I continued walking hoping that Jace knew where we were.

I turned to face him and noticed he was on his phone messaging someone. I tried to sneakily look at the contact name. There was no name, only an emoji heart.

"Do you know where we are?"

"You don't?"

"Nope. I never usually walk this far out."

"We'll be at the car park in a sec," he mentioned, putting his phone away in his pocket.

"Hmm. Okay"

-

We stood outside my car both laughing at something that Jace had just told me.

"What the hell?!" I exclaimed

"Yep. Never again that's for sure."

As I stood there enjoying the moment, something I never thought I would ask came out of my mouth.

"What are you doing after this?"

"Not much."

"Do you want to come round mine? Calla should have finished unpacking by now." I was slightly shocked by what had just exited my own mouth.

Calla is honestly the slowest unpacker I have ever known. It had taken her almost a week just to unpack her clothes. Nothing else, just clothes.

"Yeah, sure," he said. I unlocked my car and got into the driver's seat, Jace in the passenger and off I drove to my house.

*

This chapter didn't exactly turn out how I had imagined buuut I think it is okay? What are your thoughts?

Ivy is taking him to her house... progress!

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